Pregame Notes: LA Galaxy vs Columbus Crew

Two teams looking to put difficult losses behind them meet in an interconference clash when the LA Galaxy play host to the Columbus Crew on Independence Day at StubHub Center. The Galaxy had a second straight win seemingly sealed, until the San Jose Earthquakes scored twice in added time for a 3-2 win last weekend. The Crew twice came back from deficits on Saturday, only to see Sporting Kansas City score a late winner for a 3-2 win at Sporting Park.

LA GALAXY
The LA Galaxy were seconds away from a second consecutive victory, only to see the San Jose Earthquakes score twice in stoppage time for a dramatic 3-2 win Saturday evening at Stanford Stadium. The Galaxy are in fifth place in the Western Conference with 24 points from 17 matches.

The Galaxy took the lead in the 25th minute through a well-worked goal. Landon Donovan floated a pass across the top of San Jose’s box which Robbie Keane struck on the fly with his left foot, and Marcelo Sarvas followed with a right-footed volley of his own inside the near post.

LA doubled its advantage in the 65th minute. Donovan fed an overlapping Keane in the left side of the Quakes’ penalty area, and he fed the ball across the 6-yard box to the far post, where Jimenez slotted home into the open net.

The Quakes began their comeback in the 68th minute. Just four minutes after coming on as a substitute, Alan Gordon headed home a Shea Salinas cross. But San Jose's chances looked dire after defender Victor Bernardez saw two yellow cards in the space of eight minutes and was sent off in the 77th minute.

Yet the home side equalized in the 92nd minute when Salinas hammered home a loose rebound after LA goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini was unable to corral a deflected flick header from San Jose rookie Adam Jahn.

The dramatic winner then came less than 90 seconds later, when Gordon headed home a chipped cross from just inside LA’s penalty area by San Jose midfielder Sam Cronin.

Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena made no changes to the team that defeated Chivas USA 1-0 at StubHub Center.

The Galaxy have allowed 13 goals after the 76th minute in league play, the most this season in MLS. They’ve now twice suffered defeats on goals scored in stoppage time, also losing games on goals scored in the 84th and 87th minutes, and conceded an 89th-minute equalizer. They also conceded four goals in the final quarter-hour in the CONCACAF Champions League.

“It was poor play and lack of intelligence from our team. For players and coaches to act that stupid with five minutes left in the game is my responsibility, and it can’t be on anybody else but me,” said Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena. “I’m absolutely embarrassed by that performance. Give our opponents credit, but that performance was embarrassing and disgraceful.”

Said Robbie Keane: “Of course when you concede two goals in the dying minutes of the game, it’s always difficult to take. All of our hard work before stoppage time is for nothing because we threw it away at the end of the game. Like the manager said, it was stupidity.”

It was also the second time in the last three games where the Galaxy have had their entire first-choice back four together where a late winner was conceded, the last coming May 19 at New York where the Red Bulls scored the winner in stoppage time.

“We were pretty much in control the whole game, but like the way things have been the last few years, San Jose just keeps on fighting and finds a way to come back,” said center back Omar Gonzalez. “There were mental lapses on our part, and we should’ve scored three or four goals at the end, but we gave them a chance so kudos to them for doing whatever it took.”

Landon Donovan and Robbie Keane each recorded a pair of assists. Donovan moved into a tie for second all-time in MLS assists with 114, level with Carlos Valderrama; Steve Ralston is the all-time leader with 135.

“The longer you play this game, the more you see games like that, where one team dominates and you don't score, and the next thing you know, you're on the losing end,” said Donovan. “It's a tough lesson to learn. We should know better, but when you don't score goals, you always keep teams around, and we did that.”

Hector Jimenez scored his second goal of the season, his first since netting in a 4-1 win at Philadelphia on May 15.

Jack McBean came off the bench for the final four minutes, his first appearance since April 27 after suffering a fractured clavicle.

COLUMBUS CREW
The Columbus Crew suffered their second consecutive defeat, Sporting Kansas City scoring a late winner for a 3-2 victory Saturday evening at Sporting Park. The Crew are in seventh place in the Eastern Conference with 20 points from 17 matches.

Sporting took the lead in the 34th minute. From the right touchline, Soony Saad lofted a spot-perfect 40-yard pass to Kei Kamara waiting at the front left of Columbus' penalty area, and he took one touch to settle before firing a left-footed rocket past goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum.

The Crew equalized in the 48th minute when Jairo Arrieta made a 65-yard-long run down the pitch before splitting the defense at the edge of the area and beating goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen. But KC was back on top just two minutes, when Chance Myers sent in a long cross from the right side that fell to Claudio Bieler for a cool finish.

Three minutes later, the visitors were level again, when Seth Sinovic left a back pass in no man's land and Dominic Oduro raced in to nick it, rounding goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen and calmly rolling it into the open net.

But the winner came in the 80th minute. On the counter Sporting tore back up the pitch and got the game-winner through Kamara, who finished after the ball bounded to him all alone in front of goal.

Crew head coach Robert Warzycha made one change to the team that lost 2-1 to the Chicago Fire at Crew Stadium. Kevan George came into the side in place of Matias Sanchez.

The Crew conceded three goals for a second time in four league matches, equaling their single-game high this season.

“With a high-scoring game, we don't like it that way. We didn't like how open it was, and we got a tough break. A couple bounces didn't go our way,” said goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum. “We fought and battled hard, but we weren't dangerous enough offensively. Defensively we definitely didn't do enough. It kind of gets repetitive after a while, but we've got to refocus quickly.”

Said center back Chad Marshall: “I don't think it's a back four problem. You defend as a team and attack as a team. We'll just have to look at the video this week and get ready to travel to Los Angeles and play the Galaxy. At this point we just need to eliminate the mistakes in order to get better.”

Dominic Oduro netted his eighth goal of the campaign, his fourth unassisted goal this year. For Oduro, it was the fourth goal he’s created where he’s stripped a defender deep or intercepted a poor pass.

“That was the game plan for me to sit behind Higuain and try to get the ball and attack and that's what happened,” Oduro said. “It was designed in such a way to disrupt the play as much as possible. Once I get the ball and have space, I'm taking it.”

Before leaving to join Costa Rica for the CONCACAF Gold Cup, Jairo Arrieta scored his second goal of the season, his first since March 9.

“Both of our goals kind of came from nothing. We weren't really able to keep possession tonight,” said Marshall. “Jairo (Arrieta) made a good run to beat their center back and he slotted it well. They obviously gave us one for our second goal, but it was very frustrating not to keep things at 2-2.”

With Matías Sánchez out through suspension, Kevan George made his second start of the season, his first in the center of midfield. His previous start came May 26 vs. New York, in central defense.

Agustín Viana was hoping to be available for selection in the KC match, but did not make the 18-man gameday squad.

“He's coming back from injury, I think he's 100 percent. I hope he's ready to play. Obviously fitness can be an issue because he hasn't played a lot, but I think his ability to step on the field and be the best guy is there,” Crew head coach Robert Warzycha said.